Mr. Coffee® Blog

How to Use Coffee to Get a Beach Body

It's a sad paradox: The food and drinks that taste great are usually bad for your physique. However, coffee in its natural state is actually low in calories, which challenges the idea that all tasty foods and drinks are fattening. It's not until you add in high-calorie creams and sugars that coffee becomes something you should only drink on cheat day. In fact, you can use coffee to help you accomplish your beach body goals. Of course, you can't just drink coffee and expect to shed pounds. Instead, it's all about using your favorite morning brew to motivate you to stay active.

Here's how to incorporate it into your fitness plan.

Set Up a Reward System
We've all done this before: Check off a dreaded item on your to-do list, and reward yourself with something great. Why not make coffee the reward? After all, it's a tasty drink that can calm you down or rev you up, depending on the type of coffee you choose, and it's easy to prepare on your own - especially when you have a home cafe that complete with the Mr. Coffee® Optimal Brew™ 10-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker with Thermal Carafe. Without even leaving your home, you can brew a huge pot of fresh coffee in minutes. Do this a few times each week, and you'll notice an instant shift in your ability to get motivated for exercise.

It's a lot easier to run when there's coffee in sight.

Run to the Store for Tasty Mix-Ins - Literally
Out of milk? NBD. Just run to the store and pick up a gallon. Trust us - it will be so much easier to go for a quick run when it's done in the name of coffee. If you live too far away from a grocery store, try hopping on your bike, scooter or any other form of transportation that requires you to exert yourself. Even if it means taking your car and just parking farther away than usual, you should use errands as a time to get in a quick, low intensity workout.

Opt for Low Calorie Ingredients
There are ways to make coffee super sweet and fattening, and there are also ways to cut down on calories without sacrificing its taste. The key is being conscious of the ingredients you include in your brew. Skip the sugar, which only provides you with empty calories, and instead reach for skim milk or artificial sweeteners, which can provide you with the illusion of sweetness. You can also choose cinnamon, nutmeg or other spices that add flavor to your coffee without packing in a ton of fattening calories.

Use coffee to pump you up for exercise.

Fuel Your Workout
Exercise is a natural way to energize, but how does one find the energy to get to the gym? Get energized for your workout by downing a cup of coffee on your way out the door. By the time you get started on your physical activity, you'll be wide awake and ready to give it your all. And once the natural endorphins of exercise kick in, you'll be completely unstoppable. Get ready for the best workout of your life.

Replace Fatty Drinks
High calorie drinks are often disguised as great tasting beverages - but don't be fooled. Many of your favorite sports drinks, soda and alcoholic concoctions are packed with sugar and calories that have negative effects on your waistline. Next time you find yourself reaching for one of these, opt for a cup of black - or close to black - coffee. Your future beach body will thank you.